Rate My Professor Debra Ruben

Debra Ruben, NCIDQ, LEED AP, IDEC, is Interim Dean of Drexel University's Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design and Associate Professor in Interior Design within the Architecture and Design faculty. She joined the university in 2000 and has since advanced through key leadership roles, including Academic Associate Dean, Program Director for the undergraduate Interior Design program, and Program Director for the graduate Interior Architecture & Design program. Both programs hold accreditation from the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) and have been top-ranked by DesignIntelligence. Prior to her academic appointments, Ruben spent ten years as a designer and project manager at Phase 2 Designs, an architecture and interior design firm, and she maintains an active small design practice. She co-chaired the committees responsible for developing the MS in Design Research program and the minor in Sustainability in the Built Environment, and she serves as a site visitor for CIDA.

Ruben earned her Master of Science in Interior Design from Drexel University and her Bachelor of Arts in Art History and French from the University of Richmond. Her research specializes in interdisciplinary design thinking, sustainability issues, and participatory practices as they relate to community building. She has received numerous foundation grants to fund projects serving communities in West Philadelphia. In November 2025, following 25 years of dedicated service to the Westphal community, Ruben was appointed Interim Dean of the college, effective January 1, 2026.